Many of the world’s great artists, scientists and thinkers have long espoused the benefits of walking on their creative process.

For example, philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche even said:

All Truly Great Thoughts Are Conceived While Walking

Nietzsche

But is there any link between walking and actually being more creative?

Many other notable creatives throughout history even made a point of having a daily walk as part of their routine.

According to a series of research experiments published in 2014, yes there is.

Walking, either indoors but especially outdoors, was shown to improve not only a person’s ability to come up with new ideas, but also solve creative problems as well.

So if you want to come up with more and better ideas, or to solve a problem which had been frustrating you, it can pay to get up from your desk and move around for a bit.

But why is walking so beneficial to creativity?

Along with getting the blood pumping and sending more oxygen around your body and brain, there are probably several other benefits.

While walking, the body and mind are less likely to focus on the challenges and Work right in front of them, as you physically move away from your desk. This can relax the mind as it slows down, while also making it more likely your mind can wander.

Both of these have been shown to be beneficial for divergent creativity and coming up with ideas.

So make sure to stretch those legs and get some walking into your routine every day.

Did you know that scientific evidence shows your creativity decreases over time

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Nick Skillicorn

Chief Editor, Founder & CEO at Improvides Innovation Consulting
Creativity & Innovation expert: I help individuals and companies build their creativity and innovation capabilities, so you can develop the next breakthrough idea which customers love. Chief Editor of Ideatovalue.com and Founder / CEO of Improvides Innovation Consulting. Coach / Speaker / Author / TEDx Speaker / Voted as one of the most influential innovation bloggers.